7 Vulpeculae

7 Vulpeculae
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Vulpecula
Right ascension 19h 29m 20.8974s
Declination 20° 16 47.0583
Apparent magnitude (V) 6.337
Characteristics
Spectral type B4–5 III–IVe + sdB/sdO
U−B color index −0.585
B−V color index −0.157
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−38.0±4.3 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: 2.555±0.069 mas/yr
Dec.: −15.383±0.071 mas/yr
Parallax (π)3.5826±0.04 mas
Distance910 ± 10 ly
(279 ± 3 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−1.66+0.44
−0.51
Orbit
Period (P)69.30±0.07 d
Semi-major axis (a)0.5553±0.0096
Eccentricity (e)0
Inclination (i)98.7±1.2°
Longitude of the node (Ω)151.0±0.6°
Periastron epoch (T)2,454,248.1±2.7 HJD
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)
90°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)
8.7±0.2 km/s
Semi-amplitude (K2)
(secondary)
77.2±1.5 km/s
Details
7 Vul A
Mass4.25±0.23 M
Radius5.2 R
Surface gravity (log g)3.75±0.02 cgs
Temperature15,600±200 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)300±30 km/s
Age50–80 Myr
7 Vul B
Mass0.477±0.020 M
Other designations
7 Vul, BD+19 4039, HD 183537, HIP 95818, HR 7409, SAO 87269
Database references
SIMBADdata

7 Vulpeculae is a binary star system approximately 910 light years away in the slightly northern constellation of Vulpecula. It is a challenge to view with the naked eye, having an apparent visual magnitude of 6.3. The system currently has a heliocentric radial velocity of −38 km/s.

This is a single-lined spectroscopic binary star system with an orbital period of 69.3 days and an eccentricity of 0.16. The visible component is a Be star with a stellar classification of B4–5 III–IVe that appears to be nearing the end of its main sequence lifetime. The system shows a rapid projected rotational velocity of 300 km/s, which is just below the estimated critical velocity for a binary of 367 km/s.

There is a small variability in the magnitude over a 0.559-day cycle; this is likely the rotation period of the primary star.

The companion is a hot subdwarf, either a subdwarf B or subdwarf O star, with a mass of 48% the Sun's mass. It has a close orbital separation of half an astronomical unit and take 69 days to complete an orbit.